1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image forming apparatus, a recording medium, and an image forming method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a power saving function, a recording medium, and an image forming method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus has a normal mode and a power saving mode to reduce power consumption.
In the normal mode, for example, since the temperature of a fixing roller is kept at a level suitable for fixing a developer, such as a toner, the image forming apparatus can immediately perform image formation upon receiving an image formation request. In this case, the power consumption is high.
In the power saving mode, for example, since the temperature of the fixing roller is kept at a level that is higher than room temperature but lower than the temperature employed in the normal mode, the image forming apparatus may be unable to immediately perform image formation upon receiving an image formation request and may require some time for heating the fixing roller to the suitable temperature. In this case, the power consumption is lower than that of the normal mode.
When a standby state continues for a predetermined time period in the normal mode without receiving an image formation request, the image forming apparatus shifts into the power saving mode from the normal mode to reduce the power consumption. Additionally, in response to receiving an image formation request in the power saving mode, the image forming apparatus shifts into the normal mode from the power saving mode and heats the fixing roller to the suitable temperature before forming an image corresponding to the image formation request.
Typically, a conventional image forming apparatus would prompt a user to set an operation mode (i.e. normal mode or power saving mode) immediately after power-on. In this manner, the image forming apparatus is started in the set mode.
Another generally known function for a conventional image forming apparatus is to count the number of times it has performed image formation without shifting into the power saving mode after power-on and the number of times it has shifted into the power saving mode without performing image formation after power-on. If the number of times the image forming apparatus has shifted into the power saving mode without performing image formation is larger than the number of times the image forming apparatus has performed image formation without shifting into the power saving mode, the image forming apparatus is started in the power saving mode instead of the set mode.
Conventionally, a user sets an operation mode for an image forming apparatus by using an operation display unit while in the normal mode. The operation display unit displays screens, such as a screen that allows a user to set the operation mode.
However, users have difficulty in familiarizing themselves with recent image forming apparatuses, which have become more multifunctional in recent years.
Furthermore, because the operation display unit has multiple layers, it may be troublesome for users to change the operation mode for startup. Thus, it has become even more complicated to operate the operation mode.
This tendency particularly manifests itself for users who are not used to operations of image forming apparatuses.
Also, there is a method (described below) for setting the set mode during start-up based on frequency of use in the normal mode versus the power saving mode. The number of times that the image is formed without shifting the mode into the power saving mode, and the number of times that the power saving mode is operated without forming the image after power-on, are stored in a storage device. A complex control system such as a storage space, a circuit, and a program are further required for this method. However, in this example, even when a user wants to operate the image forming apparatus in the normal mode to immediately perform image formation, starting in the power saving mode may prevent the image forming apparatus from immediately performing image formation.
The present invention can configure the startup operation through a simple method that begins after a power switch initiates a power-off operation. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is capable of switching the operation mode without a complicated control circuit, a program, and a device.
Moreover, the present image forming apparatus is capable of further reducing power consumption, since it can immediately shift to the power saving mode without shifting into the normal mode after power-on.